Benefits
by sandyfin
Summary: When the Reagans attend a charity benefit, everyone invites their partners for a fun, platonic evening. But it's not that simple for the pair that has always flirted with something that's definitely not platonic. And when an unexpected guest offers Eddie some advice she can't ignore, the night is bound to take an interesting turn.
1. Chapter 1

"I hate these things," Maria Baez groans. "You know why I became a cop? Because cops don't have have to go to any - damn - galas!"

Eddie glances over as Maria struggles to contort her arms in a way that'll work the zipper up the last few inches at the back of her gown. "Here," Eddie says, swatting her hands away to easily tug the zipper closed. "You go to lots of these things? As a Reagan partner, I mean."

"This is the second one. Thanks."

"What? That's lame, Jamie's never invited me before."

"You _want_ to go?" Maria scoffs. "You know it's just gonna be a bunch of fancy people talking about all their big donations - blah, blah, blah, boring."

"Then why are you even coming?" Eddie asks as she holds up two tubes of lipstick to decide which shade she prefers.

"You should've seen Danny ask me. He's like a sad puppy, I swear - 'Look, partner, you know this is the kinda thing I'd be taking Linda to…'"

Eddie would laugh at Maria's deep, exaggerated Danny Reagan impersonation if they were talking about anything else. "Yeah," she coughs. "Right."

"The red one," Maria says, nodding at the lipstick.

"You think? It's not too dramatic?"

"Too dramatic? We're about to be the only people in that room that make less than half a million a year. Might as well go all out."

"You're right." Eddie pops the cap off and sidesteps into her bathroom to lean closer to the mirror.

"I swear, strapless bras are the devil," Maria complains when Eddie emerges again. "Those Reagan boys, they owe us."

"Well you look great," Eddie assures her. "What about me - you sure the lips aren't too much?"

"Girl, Baby Reagan's gonna be drooling over you all night."

Eddie raises an eyebrow, cutting a sideways warning look in Maria's direction. "Um…"

"Oh don't even start, I'm not stupid."

"Neither am I, which is why nothing will happen between me and my _partner._ " Eddie emphasizes the word Jamie has hidden his feelings behind for who knows how long - she uses it too, sometimes, usually to remind other people that it's not exactly her fault that really nothing has ever happened between them.

"Partnerships don't last forever," Maria smirks just as the buzzer goes off to alert them that their dates are here.

"Yeah, alright."

"Five bucks says his jaw drops and he can't even talk when he sees you," Maria calls behind her, earning a head shake from Eddie as she lets Jamie and Danny into the building.

They reach Eddie's door a minute later, announcing their arrival with a loud knock that Eddie knows is Danny - Jamie, when he doesn't just let himself in with his key, doesn't try to break down her door when he comes over.

Eddie opens the door and she's glad Maria is still back in the bedroom where she can't see that she was right. Jamie's eyebrows inch up and one side of his jaw twitches as he tries not to react.

"Hey Janko," Danny says. "Where's Baez? You ladies ready?"

"Yeah, come in, I just need my shoes." Eddie stands aside to let Danny march inside before Jamie brushes past her more closely than he needs to.

"You look great, Eddie," he tells her softly, pausing there in her entryway to catch her gaze in a way that makes her stomach somersault.

She feels the sparkle in her eye that gives away the smile she manages to rein in. "Thanks, sport. You too." But she refuses to allow herself more than a quick glance at the way he fills out his tux as she shuts her front door.

"Baez! Let's go!" Danny barks.

"Relax, Reagan," Maria replies as she emerges from Eddie's room. "We got plenty of time."

"And I still need my shoes. One second." Eddie's floor-length gown swishes around her feet as she ducks past Maria into her bedroom, where she quickly fastens the strappy heels that she'll probably regret within the first hour of this thing. Grabbing the silver clutch that complements her tastefully simple jewelry, she heads back to the living room.

"That was a lot longer than one second-"

"Shut up, Danny," Eddie says.

"Everyone ready?" Maria asks, looking around to make a final assessment of the group. "Alright. Let's get this over with."

Danny offers her his arm, which she accepts as they move into the hallway. Jamie pauses just past the front door while Eddie locks it, and they fall into step side by side as they trail Danny and Maria down to the waiting car.

This event, a charity ball benefiting research for congenital heart defects, has been on Eddie's radar since Jamie brought it up back before Christmas. She balked at his invitation at first - Frank was invited to fill one of several tables purchased by a state politician he's known for ages, and Eddie didn't love the idea of being Jamie's… _anything_ _other than work partner_ in front of his family.

" _Won't it be weird?" she'd asked, a skeptical furrow in her brow as she looked at him across the console. "Me… tagging along to a fancy gala with you and your family?"_

" _It'll only be weird if you make it weird," he replied._ And after reminding her every day for a week that his siblings were also bringing their work partners, he finally wore her down into an eye-rolling _fine_ \- though now that she's had time to mostly get over her lingering apprehension, she's pretty excited for the whole thing.

It's not far from Eddie's East Village apartment to the luxury Midtown hotel hosting the gala. Eddie and Maria spend the whole trip shaking their heads at each other across the captain seats in the center row of the black Suburban while Jamie and Danny trash-talk each other's ballroom dancing proficiency behind them. It always entertains Eddie to see those two together because there aren't many people who can get under her calm and composed partner's skin. She's pretty good at it herself but she's always open to new material and Jamie's siblings, the real professionals, are her best source.

They meet up with the other half of their group - Frank, Henry, Erin, and Anthony Abetemarco - in the hotel lobby and Eddie can't deny the jittery nervousness that suddenly fills her at the sight of the older Reagan men standing from the slim, modern couch where they've been waiting. Right - this isn't just a fun formal evening with Jamie. His whole family is here. She has to watch herself.

"There they are!" Henry says.

"Sorry - have you been waiting long?" Jamie asks, returning his grandfather's back-slapping hug.

"It's all the girls' fault, holding us up," Danny announces.

"Oh, just a couple minutes, no worries," Frank says. "Maria. Eddie. Good to see you."

"You too, Frank," Maria replies, and Eddie smiles and nods.

Anthony's swinging hands meet with a small clap in front of his body and he rubs his palms together. "Well then. Shall we?"

"He's only here for the food," Erin says, rolling her eyes.

"Well yeah. I ain't gonna put on a monkey suit unless I got a good reason."

Danny huffs an irritated sigh. "They aren't serving the food 'til _eight_."

"But there are hors d'oeuvres," Eddie points out at the same time as Anthony just looks at Danny, unamused, and says, "Appetizers."

"Here we go," Erin mutters. Maria meets her gaze with a sympathetic sigh - if Danny and Anthony can't get along they're going to have a very long night.

Danny crosses his arms, a poorly disguised scowl on his face as Frank and Henry meander towards the wide hallway that leads to the hotel's ballrooms. Erin is tall, elegant, graceful in a simple baby pink gown next to the shorter Maria, her lean muscular frame on display in a black satin dress with a lace neckline - visually they create a stark contrast but they move together to grumble about their partners on the way to the ballroom. Anthony trails them and Jamie and Eddie, sharing a wordless amused smirk, round out the group.

The ballroom doors haven't opened yet but the foyer outside is full of well-dressed people who mill around and chat over drinks and small plates. Frank and Henry are immediately recognized and pulled away, and Danny makes a beeline for the bar. Eddie doesn't have the chance to notice where the others end up before she feels the weight of Jamie's presence behind her shoulder, his hand on her low back and she realizes that for the first time this evening they have a moment to themselves.

"Didn't you tell me you had nothing to wear?"

"Hmm?"

"That was one of your excuses - that you'd have nothing to wear to a black tie event," he reminds her.

"Was it?" Eddie murmurs as she scans the room to assess the appetizer situation.

"It was."

"Well. I found something after all," she says.

" _Something_ is right. Damn."

Eddie can't help the curvy smirk that stretches across her cheek as she turns around to face Jamie. He doesn't even try to hide the way his gaze trails down her body before he finds her face, a narrow smile on his own below those green eyes glinting with a dark shine Eddie isn't used to.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Mr. Reagan."

"Yeah, thanks."

"But-" she announces, one hand coming up to adjust his bowtie before patting his chest, "I need some food. Come on."

Eddie hears the weary groan he lets out behind her as she starts towards one of several small tables identically set with four platters of tiny appetizers. She takes a couple of each while Jamie helps himself to a more conservative selection and they float off to the side to let others get to the food.

"You _are_ dancing with me tonight, I hope you know," she informs him.

"What? No way."

"Right place, right time - this is a charity ball. _Ball_. Where people _dance_."

"Wrong place, wrong time," he argues. "Everyone's here, Eddie, and I'm not feeling all that family friendly with you in that dress."

" _Jamie_!" Eddie gasps, mock scandalized with a dainty hand pressed to her chest.

He shrugs like he's not sorry and inhales deeply, letting the air catch in his chest a moment before he tells her with a twitch of his lips, "Maybe you were right that this was a bad idea."

"You just have to behave yourself. And you're such a boy scout I know that won't be a problem."

The glittering look she offers makes him deflate with a helpless sigh. "So do you," he warns.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Eddie purrs.

Jamie's only response is the flare of his jaw above a hard swallow because Maria and a mopey Danny find them. Eddie tries not to giggle at how quickly Jamie turns his attention to them, a distraction from the sweetheart neckline of her deep red dress that keeps trying to draw his eye.

"What's wrong with you?" Jamie asks his brother.

"He thinks Erin shoulda brought Nicky," Maria says.

"She should've!" Danny exclaims. "How'm I supposed to enjoy a nice dinner with you guys if Anthony's just sitting there waiting to drop in and take anything I don't chew up right away-"

"Ah, still bitter about that case you worked with him, I see," Jamie says.

"No, he's _actually_ gonna take my food. Those little - these things," Danny says, grabbing a piece of puff pastry from Eddie's plate. "He's over there shoveling a whole tray of 'em in his mouth. At least Nicky knows how to behave at fancy shindigs like this."

"Shindigs?" Eddie chuckles.

"They _are_ good," Maria soothes.

"And if he fills up on those, he won't have room to steal anyone's food during dinner," Jamie smirks.

"I don't think the man's ever been full in his life."

"Well hey, Danny, you know what? I'll sit between you and Anthony and if he even looks at your plate, I'll take him down," Eddie promises.

Danny scowls as Jamie nods at Eddie and adds, "But then you've got to watch out for her, because when it comes to stealing food she's the biggest threat at the table."

"Why do I got the only partner with civilized manners?" Danny groans. "The only person that gets to eat my food is _me_."

"Nobody's gonna take your food, Danny, relax," Maria says. "It was a joke."

"I _know_ it was a joke…"

"I need a drink," Jamie announces, stacking Eddie's empty appetizer plate on top of his own. "Eddie, I'll bring you something - but don't tease him about his food anymore, he might bite you."

"Usually he says that _about_ me, not _to_ me," Eddie says as Jamie walks away.

"Yeah well, we're working on our self control," Maria says, patting Danny's back like he's a young child. "And being kind to others, even when we don't like them. Right, Reagan?"

"Yeah, yeah. You're not funny. Either of you."

* * *

The elaborate five-course meal passes quickly, mostly because Eddie is so entertained by the dynamic at the table. Despite Erin and Maria's best efforts, their partners jab at each other at every opportunity. Henry joins in, taking Danny's side about leaving investigative work to the " _real_ cops," and Frank mostly sits back and watches, an entertained look on his face that shows Eddie where Jamie's ridiculous lopsided smirk comes from. Every so often he tries to redirect the conversation but it always devolves into a version of the same lively two-sided discussion.

They only shut up when dessert comes and the speakers take the stage. The first two - the parents of a young boy who share their son's journey with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and their son's physician, who discusses the research advancements she's made thanks to the foundation's funding - are interesting and emotional. But the rest of the presentation is boring and Eddie is antsy to get up by the time it's over.

"I need to run to the restroom," she tells Jamie, "but when I get back you have to dance with me. Okay?"

"One song," he mumbles.

"We'll see." She lays a couple of friendly pats on his shoulder as she passes behind him to leave the ballroom.

Her long dress proves to be a bit of an obstacle and she pauses in the nice lounge adjacent to the women's restroom to put herself back together before she goes back out to drag Jamie onto the dance floor.

"You don't look like his type."

"I'm sorry?"

"Jamie. I saw you with him, right? He usually goes for brunettes."

Eddie directs a confused look at the stranger who has stopped touching up her makeup to discuss Jamie Reagan's preferred hair color.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I'm Sydney."

Eddie presses her lips together and nods, certain that it's obvious she's still trying to figure out whether that name is supposed to mean anything. Judging by the expectant look on her face, Sydney thinks it should.

"Davenport," Sydney clarifies as she extends her hand.

"Oh!" Eddie exclaims - it's not the last name that helps her make the connection, just the extra second her brain needed to catch up.

 _That_ Sydney.


	2. Chapter 2

"You're - hi - I'm Eddie."

"Eddie," Sydney echoes, then she blows out a soft laugh. "I'm surprised he found someone. I didn't think he'd ever be able to take off that cop uniform long enough."

A second wave of realization washes over Eddie and she feels the smile teasing her lips at Sydney's assumption. "Oh, no-"

"No, it's okay! You two look happy. And that's great! Really. I - I'm married," she says, flashing her left hand to show off the extravagant rings that glitter there. "Happily. To a man who treats me _so_ much better than Jamie ever did. So I'm glad it worked out. For everybody."

" _Jamie Reagan_ treated you badly?" Eddie says, a line of disbelief creasing her forehead.

Sydney lets out a sputtering scoff. "Not at _first_. But from the day he started the police academy to the day we broke up, that was the worst year of my life. All he cared about was the damn NYPD."

"Oh. Well, yeah, the job's important."

"Important, sure. But it's not worth keeping secrets. _Totally_ ignoring your fiancée. And the risks - doesn't it kill you, watching him go off to work every day and, you know, he might not come back? I hated it but he thought I was being absurd, worrying about him. He definitely chose the NYPD over our relationship."

Eddie knows she should clarify the misunderstanding but since the day she learned about Sydney's existence - over three years into her partnership with Jamie - they've only talked about her once, and Jamie shut the topic down pretty quickly. She's curious.

"Actually - I'm a cop too," Eddie says. "So it goes both ways."

Sydney laughs again and this time it's darker, almost spiteful. "Ah, there it is then. He really _couldn't_ give up the job."

"We understand what it's like for each other," Eddie continues despite the painful sting in her chest at the truth of that comment. "We work well together. Because of that, I guess."

"Well. I didn't think it was possible for Jamie to be a decent person and a police officer at the same time." Sydney narrows her eyes at Eddie's left hand, which holds her clutch against her stomach. "If I were you I'd get out while you still can. The way he was looking at you - that won't last long, trust me. But who knows, maybe he's different for you. Surprises can happen, I guess."

With nothing to say, Eddie huffs a small laugh and fidgets with the top of her strapless dress.

"Hm. Anyway, nice to meet you. Good luck with Jamie and all the Reagans. Really. You'll need it." Sydney takes one more look in the mirror, smacks her lips, and glides past Eddie to get to the door.

Eddie stands dumbfounded for a long moment - she hasn't exactly put a lot of thought into what Jamie's ex-fiancée would be like, but still she didn't expect someone so… condescending and negative. Sydney is so _opposite_ of Jamie, and not in the complementary way Eddie herself clashes with him. She can hardly fathom that the Jamie Reagan Sydney described is the same man she's sat next to in a patrol car for the last four and a half years. The Jamie she knows cares about the job, yes, maybe a little too much sometimes - but he also cares about people. Everyone. Those he knows and loves, and those he's just met. It's one of the things Eddie admires most about him.

Suddenly Eddie is overcome with a wave of intense appreciation for her partner. She forces herself to bury it with a deep, cleansing breath before she smooths out her dress and leaves the bathroom.

"Do you even _know_ how to dance?" Anthony snaps at Danny as Eddie returns to their table.

" _Yes_ , I know how to dance," Danny replies. "Come on, Baez."

Ignoring them, Eddie stands over Jamie where he leans back to finish his cup of coffee. "Let's go," she tells him.

"Eddie-"

"Come on!" She sets his half-full cup back on its saucer and tugs at his wrist. He groans and makes a face at her but gives in with a dramatic sigh as he stands up to follow her onto the floor.

"One song," he grumbles. "I don't like cold coffee."

Reaching an open spot among the other couples, Eddie folds into Jamie's body and rests a hand lightly across the top of his shoulder. His free hand finds her waist and they begin to sway in time with the song, comfortably close without crossing any lines.

"I ran into Sydney," she finally blurts.

"Sydney who?" he wonders, and then Eddie watches as the realization melts across his face. "Oh my god, what?"

"She's here."

Jamie frowns, tucking down so that a double chin appears as he tries to figure out whether she's joking.

"In the restroom," Eddie explains. "She recognized me from walking in with you."

"Wow," Jamie manages. "Um…"

"I don't see her now. But we had an… interesting little chat."

"About what?"

Eddie exhales her quiet amusement through her nose at the look on Jamie's face, a mixed display of intrigue and nervous concern. "Well. She told me more about your relationship than you ever have."

A quiet hum of discomfort escapes his throat through his grimace. "Look, Sydney and I were-"

"She said you ignored her and called her crazy and you were the worst fiancé ever."

Jamie opens his mouth to argue before he catches the bright twinkle in Eddie's eye and lets out a soft laugh. "Yeah, that's not totally a lie."

"She said you put the job before her. And I was all, _Jamie Reagan? Being too consumed with his work to pay attention to the people in his life? No way._ "

He narrows his eyes at her teasing. "She didn't want me to be a cop in the first place," he says. "So she was going to find issues with it no matter what. But I _was_ completely focused on the job my probation year at her expense. So you could say that breakup was a joint effort."

"Hmm," Eddie hums. "She said she didn't think it was possible for you to be a good person and a cop at the same time."

"She said that?" Jamie says incredulously.

"Yeah. I don't think she liked you a whole lot by the time you broke up."

"Wow."

"What about you?" Eddie asks. "When it ended, did you still love her?"

Jamie doesn't answer right away, pausing under the premise of steering them clear of an older couple with their eyes closed who've started to encroach on their space. "I - I thought I did at the time," he admits. "But I was young and I didn't really know… what love looks like. Or feels like. So now looking back, it seems insane that I ever thought I should marry her. I'm glad I didn't."

"Yeah. Because I mean you can't just trust what someone says about their ex. There's always bias there. But she made it sound… way over the top. I know how much you care about the people who matter to you. I see it every day. You should be with someone who understands that."

He meets her gaze with an embarrassed smile and he doesn't seem to notice as their first song fades into another one. "Syd and I were good for each other in law school - even after. We were what we both needed back then. But we were never… we didn't have… any sort of…"

"You weren't soulmates."

He scoffs, rolls his eyes but doesn't argue. "No. We definitely weren't soulmates."

"Which is why it didn't make you wanna jump off a bridge when you broke up."

He shakes his head, amused, and breaks eye contact to tilt his head towards her. She can tell he's done with this topic but it's more than she's heard from him any other time so she just lets the information roll around in her head as they dance through the chorus of the song. Frank dances with Erin nearby, both looking relaxed and pleasant - unlike Maria, who catches Eddie's eye more than once as she and Danny turn and offers meaningful eye rolls each time. Danny's tense, obviously talking, probably still complaining about Anthony. The thought makes Eddie snicker to herself.

The flash of shimmering purple in Eddie's peripheral vision catches her attention - there she is, eyes closed, head ducked against the neck of her partner who Eddie assumes is the man she's so happily married to.

"Jamie," she murmurs. "She's right behind you - Sydney."

She doesn't miss the way Jamie's hand at her waist urges her closer, the way his fingers lace with hers and keep gentle pressure on her hand as they turn and he catches a glimpse of her. His face remains stoic and he doesn't let his gaze linger long as he looks back to Eddie, his Adam's apple bobbing with a hard swallow. His eyes look heavy now, deep and intense as they focus on Eddie's face.

"So after so many years, do you know what love looks like now?" she murmurs.

He nods almost imperceptibly. "Yeah. I think I do."

* * *

"And _then_ she told me I should get out while I still can," Eddie announces. "Like sort-of-almost marrying a Reagan was the worst thing she ever did."

Danny roars with laughter - several drinks in, it's like Eddie's encounter with Sydney is the funniest story he's ever heard. It's probably a good thing he never noticed her himself. "Seriously? You really did a number on her, kid."

"She did _not_ say that," Jamie insists, flinching away from Danny's heavy slap to his knee in the back row of the car.

"She did! I swear. She kept saying how bad Jamie treated her, and it was the worst time of her life-"

"Okay, okay, we get it."

"No, Janko, tell us more," Maria says.

"No wonder the kid can't get a girl to save his life. What's Erin always call you? The spinster uncle…?"

"Cut it out, Danny," Jamie groans, but there's a smile in his voice as Eddie turns in her seat, grinning, to catch his eye.

"Oh look," Maria says as the driver slows the Suburban to a stop at Eddie's building. "Well that was quick. I'll see you on Monday, Reagan. And you-" she points at Jamie "-make sure he gets home safe, yeah?"

Danny calls out a final loud farewell as Eddie and Maria slide out of the car and shut the doors. Upstairs, Maria is quick to change, gather her things, and head home to crash in her own bed. When she's gone Eddie decides a shower is the best way to avoid sleeping surrounded by the smell of hairspray and perfume and _Jamie_ because while they were careful to keep things respectable at a charity benefit with his family, they danced for more than long enough for his smell to linger. She catches a hint of it every time she turns around.

Or maybe that's just in her head. She's not sure.

When she's clean, hair loose, face free of makeup she pads to her bedroom and finds a too-big NYPD t-shirt to sleep in.

Checking her phone, she sees a text from Jamie: _That was fun tonight. Wish we could've gone out for a drink after but I guess you can't leave Baez._

 _Baez is gone_ , Eddie informs him.

 **J:** _Oh I thought she was sleeping over._

 **E:** _What do you think we are, middle school girls?_

 **J:** _She went upstairs with you, what was I supposed to think?_

 **E:** _That she was getting the crap she left here and going home?_

 **J:** _Whatever. All that matters is she's gone so how about that drink? I can meet you in 20min_

 **E:** _Sorry, I already changed and I'm not getting dressed again._

 **J:** _Dammit. Next time then_

 **E:** _There's going to be a next time? How many charity benefits do you guys go to?_

He doesn't respond so she finishes getting ready for bed and settles under the covers. Still too wound up to sleep, she picks up with the next episode of _Scandal_. She's off tomorrow and it doesn't really matter how late she stays up-

Her phone vibrates loudly, startling her so suddenly during a suspenseful moment of the show that she jumps and and then curses.

It's Jamie.

 _Not that many. But that's not the kind of benefit I had in mind anyway._

Eddie's eyes widen, then narrow with the smirk that crosses her face as she recognizes the reference to that low precinct hallway conversation that's never completely left her mind. Her thumbs hover over her screen as she decides whether he'll think it's as funny as she does that the woman Jamie was going to marry is the newest addition to the list of people who just _assume_ that they're doing it-

A knock at her front door makes her jump for the second time in two minutes - but somehow, it doesn't exactly surprise her.

Without thinking she makes her way from her room through her apartment, dark except for a single overhead light in the kitchen, and to her front door. She opens it to reveal Jamie, in his leather jacket over a plain teal tee and jeans now, hands shoved deep into his front pockets as his face breaks into a sort of sheepish smile.

Smirking, Eddie jiggles her phone in one hand. "Exactly what other kind of benefit were you thinking of?"

"Want me to spell it out?"

He steps inside and lets the door close behind him. Eddie backs up a couple steps and that clear gleam in his eyes, even stronger than it was earlier, already has her quickening pulse pounding in her ears.

"Mmm, I think I'm gonna need you to."

Her head tips back and he looms over her, their height difference even more dramatic to Eddie now that she's on flat feet after five hours in heels. His hands find her waist outside her shirt and bunch the loose fabric towards her back until his fingers clasp together and he pulls her against him.

The desperate, heated pressure of his kiss steals her breath, and it's all the clarification she needs.


End file.
